New Evidence on Houthi Use of African Migrants as Human Shields

Jeddah – The legitimate Yemeni government has found new evidence on the Houthi militia’s involvement in “using displaced foreigners as human shields on the battle frontline.”

The government also found other evidence that confirms Houthi involvement in attracting non-Yemeni fighters from the Horn of Africa to join the frontlines after making them undergo intensive training.

Non-Yemeni fighters arrive in Yemen for different purposes. Some seek financial gains for participating in the fighting and others arrive with the goal of migration, but then find themselves recruited to fight after undergoing training by Iranian experts, premiership sources told Asharq Al-Awsat.

Sources noted that the government is preparing a comprehensive file that proves the involvement of Houthi rebels and the Iranian regime in recruiting foreigners to fight against legitimate forces.

The file will be referred to the United Nations Security Council, according to the sources, especially after the conflicts in Mokha and Taiz revealed the presence of fighters from the Horn of Africa among rebel ranks.

According to sources, the file includes documents that prove the involvement of the Iranian regime in sending dozens of ships carrying weapons and mercenaries to support the Houthi rebellion.

They explained that shipments that have been monitored and were conducted over phases during the past 12 months.

Legitimate government agencies noted that non-Yemeni infiltrators, who have been spotted among the ranks of the Houthi rebellion, include Somalis and Ethiopians.

Yemeni Minister of Local Administration Abd al-Raqib Fatah confirmed, in a phone call with Asharq Al-Awsat on Tuesday, that the Houthi insurgency has indeed been involved in using refugees from the Horn of Africa as human shields.

This was revealed days after the International Organization for Migration announced the voluntary evacuation of some 130 Somali refugees in Yemen to their country through the port of Aden in southern Yemen.